Sunday, June 15, 2008

To market, to market

On Saturday BFG and I went to the Irene Village market, which is held twice a month in the grounds of Jan Smuts House near Pretoria. We heard you have to get there early before the good stuff is sold out, so we arrived at about 9.00am - very cold and frosty, and there was already a queue to buy the enormous fresh farm eggs.

Everyone was wrapped up warmly to begin with, but layers were discarded as the sun rose. I took all my sketching stuff, but the market was so sprawling and busy, and so much to look at, I'm afraid I did these later at home, from my digital pics... next time I will take a folding chair and find a place to park myself. There were so many real characters to people-watch...

like Elsie in her huge homemade hat selling the fluffy cotton rugs that she and her workers weave on her smallholding, where she says the owls warn her if there are any intruders on the prowl - they stop their constant grinding, chattering and hooting and become very quiet!

These musicians were selling their bamboo pipe-organs (is that what they're called?) and making a joyful noise. There was also a string quartet in the tea-garden, camel rides for kids, antiques, arts & crafts - and the corrugated iron house of General Smuts which was very moving in it's restored simplicity and historical significance.

12 comments:

What wonderfully vibrant images... I feel I have had a very happy time there myself. Thank you for sharing your lovely day, and I hope the eggs are good. I used to go to a market at the Waldorf School. It became huge! I wonder if it is still going. In London ... tell A.G., Borough Markets are fabulous too.I looked up Marion Boddy-Evans' website, and found this quote from Monet "Don't feel guilty about using photos for inspiration. Monet himself said: "Whether my cathedral views, my views of London and other canvases are painted from life or not is nobody's business and of no importance whatsoever."(Quote source: p28, Monet's Years at Giverny, Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Oh thanks for that, I think I'll stop apologising then or even mentioning when I draw from photos...except I'm so proud of myself when I DO sketch from life!! The Waldorf market is still going strong on Thurs and Sat mornings - and the eggs are excellent - all deep yellow double-yolks, I'm sure each one is the equivalent of two 'large' shop eggs!

I feel as if I've been there too. Those are super, Cath. Worth getting up early and bundling up in layers for. The inclusion of the owl story was interesting too. Am happy to ditch the guilt about drawing from photos. Now especially, as I can't imagine sitting outside in the heat for the time I'd need to paint or draw! Did ya'll see I finished my watercolour of VPP painting the refectory...?

These are fantastic! I love your work! I had the same experience at my recent trip to the farmers market. Your drawings capture all the liveliness of drawings made on site which isn't always easy to do from photos. Beautiful work!

Your sketches from photos are so lively and loose - they feel completely --on the spot and very much in the moment -- love your style - so it is not important what your source material is your sketches are as fresh as the market goods!

Hi, I came to you via Jana, curious to see what your art with watercolour may look like, I love the way you use your colours! So interesting to see your art, have a wonderful daygreetings from ParisAndrea

Hi Teresa and Jose - thanks for coming to look!...and Kathleen and Andrea (you actually live in Paris!!??:o) - thanks for encouraging remarks - I will stop feeling bad about using photo refs immediately!